Putout

In baseball statistics, a putout (PO) is awarded to a defensive player who (generally while in secure possession of the ball) records an out by one of the following methods:

Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base (a tagout)
Catching a batted or thrown ball and tagging a base to put out a batter or runner (a force out, or if done after a flyout, a doubling off)
Catching a thrown ball and tagging a base to record an out on an appeal play
Catching a third strike (a strikeout)
Catching a batted ball on the fly (a flyout)
Being positioned closest to a runner called out for interference

In a regulation nine-inning game, the winning team will always have a total of 27 putouts, as one putout is awarded for every defensive out made; this is one aspect of proving a box score.

While the abbreviation for putout is "PO",^[1] baseball scorekeeping typically records the specific manner in which an out was achieved, without explicitly noting which player is awarded the putout for common plays. For example, a strikeout is recorded without noting the putout by the catcher, with additional detail only provided as needed. For example, "Fryman struck out (catcher to first)"^[2] in a play-by-play summary in reference to an out recorded following an uncaught third strike, which indicates the putout was credited to the first baseman rather than the catcher.

All-time records

Jake Beckley, all-time career leader in putouts among major-league players

Content in this section has been updated through completion of the 2022 major-league season.

Career records

Jake Beckley: 23,767 (1888–1907)
Cap Anson: 22,572 (1871–1897)
Ed Konetchy: 21,378 (1907–1921)
Eddie Murray: 21,265 (1977–1997)
Charlie Grimm: 20,722 (1916–1936)
Stuffy McInnis: 20,120 (1909–1927)
Mickey Vernon: 19,819 (1939–1960)
Jake Daubert: 19,634 (1910–1924)
Lou Gehrig: 19,525 (1923–1939)
Joe Kuhel: 19,386 (1930–1947)

Note: each of the above players was primarily a first baseman.
Note: entering the 2023 season, Joey Votto has the most putouts among active MLB players, with 14,440.
Source:^[3]

Single season records

The most putouts recorded by any player in a single major-league season is 1,846 by Jiggs Donahue, a first baseman with the 1907 Chicago White Sox.^[4]

Pitchers

1. Dave Foutz: 57 (1886)
2. Tony Mullane: 54 (1882)
3. George Bradley: 50 (1876)
3. Guy Hecker: 50 (1884)
5. Mike Boddicker: 49 (1984)
6. Larry Corcoran: 47 (1884)
7. Ted Breitenstein: 46 (1895)
8. Al Spalding: 45 (1876)
9. Jim Devlin: 44 (1876)
9. Dave Foutz: 44 (1887)
9. Bill Hutchison: 44 (1890)

Source:^[5]

Catchers

1. Yasmani Grandal: 1,169 (Milwaukee Brewers, 2019)
2. J. T. Realmuto: 1,151 (Philadelphia Phillies, 2022)
3. Christian Vázquez: 1,136 (Boston Red Sox, 2021)
4. Johnny Edwards: 1,135 (Houston Astros, 1969)
5. Yasmani Grandal: 1,114 (Los Angeles Dodgers, 2018)
6. Yadier Molina: 1,113 (St. Louis Cardinals, 2016)
7. Will Smith: 1101 (Los Angeles Dodgers, 2021)
8. J. T. Realmuto: 1,098 (Philadelphia Phillies, 2019)
9. Wilson Ramos: 1,094 (Washington Nationals, 2016)
10. Yasmani Grandal: 1,089 (Los Angeles Dodgers, 2017)

Source:^[6]

Note: as the majority of putouts by catchers occur on strikeouts, most single-season putout records for catchers have occurred in recent seasons (excepting the shortened 2020 season), consistent with the increase in total strikeouts per MLB season (for example; 42,104 in 2021 compared to 34,489 in 2011).^[7]

First basemen

1. Jiggs Donahue: 1,846 (1907)
2. George Kelly: 1,759 (1920)
3. Phil Todt: 1,755 (1926)
4. Wally Pipp: 1,710 (1926)
5. Jiggs Donahue: 1,697 (1906)
6. Candy LaChance: 1,691 (1904)
7. Tom Jones: 1,687 (1907)
8. Ernie Banks: 1,682 (1965)
9. Wally Pipp: 1,667 (1922)
10. Lou Gehrig: 1,662 (1927)

Source:^[8]

Second basemen

1. Bid McPhee: 529 (1886)
2. Bobby Grich: 484 (1974)
3. Bucky Harris: 483 (1922)
4. Nellie Fox: 478 (1956)
5. Lou Bierbauer: 472 (1889)
6. Billy Herman: 466 (1933)
7. Bill Wambsganss: 463 (1924)
8. Cub Stricker: 461 (1887)
9. Buddy Myer: 460 (1935)
10. Bill Sweeney: 459 (1912)

Source:^[9]

Third basemen

1. Denny Lyons: 255 (Philadelphia Athletics, 1887)
2. Jimmy Collins: 251 (Boston Beaneaters [NL], 1900)
2. Jimmy Williams: 251 (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1899)
4. Jimmy Collins: 243 (Boston Beaneaters [NL], 1898)
4. Willie Kamm: 243 (Chicago White Sox, 1928)
6. Willie Kamm: 236 (Chicago White Sox, 1927)
7. Home Run Baker: 233 (Philadelphia Athletics, 1913)
8. Bill Coughlin: 232 (Washington Senators, 1901)
9. Ernie Courtney: 229 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1905)
10. Jimmy Austin: 228 (St. Louis Browns, 1911)

Source:^[10]

Shortstops

1. Donie Bush: 425 (Detroit Tigers, 1914)
1. Hughie Jennings: 425 (Baltimore Orioles [NL], 1895)
3. Joe Cassidy: 408 (Washington Senators, 1905)
4. Rabbit Maranville: 407 (Boston Braves, 1914)
5. Dave Bancroft: 405 (New York Giants, 1922)
5. Eddie Miller: 405 (Boston Braves, 1940)
7. Monte Cross: 404 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1898)
8. Dave Bancroft: 396 (New York Giants, 1921)
9. Mickey Doolan: 395 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1906)
10. Buck Weaver: 392 (Chicago White Sox, 1913)

Source:^[11]

Left fielders

1. Joe Vosmik: 432 (1932)
2. Rickey Henderson: 412 (1980)
3. Gil Coan: 379 (1951)
4. Ben Oglivie: 377 (1980)
5. Bobby Veach: 370 (1921)
5. Gary Ward: 370 (1983)
7. Elmer Valo: 368 (1949)
8. Barry Bonds: 366 (1989)
8. Bobby Veach: 366 (1922)
10: Bibb Falk: 364 (1927)

Source:^[12]

Center fielders

1. Richie Ashburn: 532 (1951)
2. Taylor Douthit: 518 (1928)
3. Chet Lemon: 509 (1977)
4. Richie Ashburn: 501 (1949)
4. Dwayne Murphy: 501 (1980)
6. Richie Ashburn: 500 (1956)
7. Richie Ashburn: 499 (1957)
8. Richie Ashburn: 494 (1958)
9. Jim Busby: 492 (1954)
9. Andruw Jones: 492 (1999)

Source:^[13]

Right fielders

1. Dave Parker: 381 (1977)
1. Ichiro Suzuki: 381 (2005)
3. Babe Herman: 380 (1932)
4. Austin Kearns: 374 (2007)
4. Hunter Pence: 374 (2013)
6. Ichiro Suzuki: 372 (2004)
7. Mookie Betts: 366 (2017)
7. Dave Winfield: 366 (1977)
9. Jason Heyward: 365 (2014)
10. Jermaine Dye: 362 (1999)

Source:^[14]

References

^ "Putout (PO)". MLB.com. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
^ "Boston Red Sox 4, Detroit Tigers 0". Retrosheet. September 18, 1996. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
^ "Career Leaders & Records for Putouts". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as P". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as C". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "MLB League Totals for Strikeouts". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as 1B". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as 2B". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as 3B". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as SS". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as LF". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as CF". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as RF". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[1] "Putout (PO)". MLB.com. Retrieved March 19, 2023.

[2] "Boston Red Sox 4, Detroit Tigers 0". Retrosheet. September 18, 1996. Retrieved March 19, 2023.

[3] "Career Leaders & Records for Putouts". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[4] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[5] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as P". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[6] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as C". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[7] "MLB League Totals for Strikeouts". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved March 19, 2023.

[8] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as 1B". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[9] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as 2B". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[10] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as 3B". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[11] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as SS". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[12] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as LF". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[13] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as CF". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[14] "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Putouts as RF". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

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